Buying a Home? Hire an Independent Home Inspector
By Mike Porras
Have you noticed an interesting trend?
It seems that more and more home buyers are hiring their own Home Inspector rather than depending on the agent s recommendations. Through the grapevine, I have even heard of buyers NOT using an inspector only because they were recommended by the Realtor. Although the vast majority of buyers still use the inspector recommended by the agent, it is slowly changing. As home prices continue to rise, and buyers understand the purpose of the inspection, they are learning that an inspector recommended directly by the Realtor may not be, (or just as bad, may not appear to be) working in their best interest.
Despite what this may sound like, this is not an anti-Realtor rant. In fact, I firmly believe that one of the prime beneficiaries of this trend is the Realtor. If the buyer hires a poor inspector, they have no one to blame but the inspector, or themselves for not being thorough during the hiring process. The agent can walk away with clean hands.
Home inspectors market directly to Realtors because it is easy to do and they can get all the clients they want if they spend all their time dropping off cards and brochures at Brokers offices. In rare, but documented cases, some inspectors have even payed a fee to be included in a Broker s list of “preferred inspectors”. Realtors use these inspectors, because they know that if the inspector wants repeat business, they will make the inspection process short and sweet. For the most part, agents want the process to go smoothly and quickly. They want the house sold, collect the commission, and move on to the next home. In the meantime, the buyers move into their dream home, filled with the joy of home ownership, only to discover that the plumbing is defective, the AC compressor needs to be replaced, and the windows in the back bedroom don t open because the foundation has settled excessively. Well, now it s really going to hit the fan, and guess who they re coming after? The buyer blames the agent, the agent blames the inspector, and everybody gets sued. But what if the inspector had been hired by the buyer? In that case, the inspector is solely responsible for his own mess, and/or the buyer can blame themselves for not doing a little more research.
The important questions in the scenario above are Did the inspector really overlook the defects, or did he ignore them, or “soften” them so that the deal will close quickly, and the Realtor will continue to give him referrals? Did the Realtor recommend this particular inspector because she knew that the inspector would do a 1 hour inspection, write a quick, “checklist” report, and give a few estimates, (under the amount in the contract agreed upon for repairs, of course) and most importantly, “not break the deal”. We all know this happens, and too often.
I inspect home in Oklahoma. Oklahoma is rare in many ways, and one of the main differences between this state and many others is the relatively low number of lawsuits related to poor inspections. Sure, it happens, but not nearly as often as in other states. In the future, this will change as well. The more people become educated about their rights, the more likely home inspectors, and even Realtors, will get sued for bad inspections.
How do we avoid this? It s simple…
If you re a Realtor, stay out of the inspection process, and don t recommend any inspectors at all. At the risk of sounding rude, the inspection, and inspector/client relationship is none of your business. In fact, by default, you do not even have the right to receive, or see the report. It belongs to the client and can only be released to you, by the client, or by the inspector only if the client gives written permission to do so. Let the inspector and the client hash out the inspection and the findings, and when it is all over, the client will let you know whether it s thumbs up, or down on the home. If it is thumbs up, you can help your client deal with the concerns found during the inspection. If it s thumbs down, then the next step is simple: Find the client another home, and be thankful that your client is not moving into a home that is in bad shape.
If you re an inspector, the first rule is to “write hard, and miss nothing”. A good, thorough inspection is the best way to leave a client satisfied, and reduces your liability. It is also very important to understand that your client is most likely very scared and nervous during the home buying process, especially if it is their first home. For most of your clients, it is the largest investment that they will ever make. Their decision to buy or not is almost exclusively based on your comments and your report, so you have to tread carefully.
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If you re a buyer, I recommend that you take on the responsibility of hiring your own inspector. The reasons to do so are good, and numerous. In addition to the examples given above, here is another way to look at it: If you are buying a used car, don t you want your own mechanic to check the vehicle for serious damage? Sure a used car dealer may advertising their “500 Point Inspection!”, but really, how sure are you that they checked the vehicle as well as someone who is looking out for your interests only? Remember , they really want to make the sale… While this example is not quite the same a buying a home, there are parallels. Regardless, finding your own inspector is not difficult. Many home inspectors are now advertising in many different places, and a simple web search can yield many results.
Buying a home is stressful enough. Hiring your own inspector can help make it a little less so.
Mike Porras is a licensed, certified and independent home inspector in Oklahoma. He has been an inspecting home for 3 years, and believes strongly that home buyers should always hire their own inspector.
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